See You Beside Me
by DragonWolfStar
Summary: Saigo no Getsuga Tensho was supposed to take his powers, but when has Ichigo ever done the expected? One-shot!


A/N: Concept shot, cause I'm probably not going to actually have the time or patience to write a full fic. The very basics behind this have been done before, but there's an interesting twist at the end. :)

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Ichigo flickered into view before the assembled shinigami, standing tall. Ebon energy curled around his form, whole and uninjured. Behind him, Urahara shot him a curious glance.

The redhead panned his gaze over the various captains and vice captains before nodding sharply. Everyone was there, including all his friends.

"You defeated Aizen?" Yamamoto asked impatiently, already knowing the answer. Anyone with any sensing abilities had felt the battle, even spanning dimensions.

"Yes." Holding up a hand to forestall any further questions, he continued. "I became my own technique to kill him. I'm afraid the condition is permanent." He ran his fingers through dark hair, brushing it out of his – deep red – eyes.

Ignoring the shocked glances, he cast his gaze over them again. "I am no longer hollow, no longer shinigami. I am not human." One last long look. "When one of you has the answer, call my name."

"Ichigo, what…?" Rukia stepped forward, followed by Inoue's soft, "Kurosaki-kun?"

He smiled sadly. "Neither of those are it." With that, he vanished.

….

After a long moment of listening to the various arguments about what he'd meant, Urahara frowned. Something… something didn't fit. Kurosaki hadn't asked them to find out for him, or to fix them. He'd asked them to learn the answer and_ call his name_, then blatantly told them it wasn't 'Ichigo' or 'Kurosaki' that he'd answer to. Call his name…

A shadow flickered behind him.

"_It seems they need some help. One last hint, Geta-boshi…"_

Urahara smiled, promptly hiding the expression behind his fan. "Ano, would Kurosaki-kun's friends please step forward? Not Kuchiki-san or Abarai-kun. I'm afraid neither of you would be capable of using the reward."

"Reward?"

"Why, of course! Kurosaki-kun has something in mind for whoever solves his little riddle. You have all the clues you need."

"_If they don't get it I'll be disappointed. Even Tatsuki and the others, they should be capable of answering this. All of their knowledge should be fresh on their minds, and they have the added benefit of being outside Soul Society's norms. But if they don't, then no one here is worthy of the prize. I will wait for someone else to hear me."_

Urahara nodded.

Casting each other confused glances, Orihime, Uryu, and Sado stepped into the small space left by the surrounding shinigami, who'd fallen silent at the shopkeeper's words. After a moment's hesitation, Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro, and Chizuru followed. No one else moved.

Silence. "Now what?" Ishida asked, irritated.

Urahara laughed. "Now you can figure out the rest on your own!" he said cheerfully.

They groaned.

'_He said he became his technique… is that what he's calling himself, then? Wait, not just that… he wasn't carrying his zanpakuto when he spoke to us, either. That's it! But that…'_

Ishida narrowed his eyes. "Getsuga Tensho." When nothing happened, he turned to the shopkeeper.

"Urahara, what's the name of the technique Kurosaki beat Aizen with?"

"Moonless sky," he replied in English.

"Mugetsu?" Ishida blinked. "Huh, fun's over, Kurosaki, come back and explain yourself!"

Surprised laughter seemed to come from all around them, and a wave of black energy rippled in front of Ishida as if in approval. _"You called? Though I don't think you really realize what you've just done, Ishida. I suppose I'll just have to teach you. Congratulations for figuring out the answer though, Uryu. You're stuck with me now."_

A blade slowly started to materialize from the energy in front of the Quincy, black with a white edge and slightly thicker than a normal katana. Orange cloth wrapped the hilt, and an orange tassel trailed off the end. Twin crescent moons, one black, the other white, touched at the apex of their curves, forming the guard. The sword dropped in the startled Quincy's hands.

'_Not human, not shinigami, not hollow… But I didn't think he meant…'_

Everyone stared in shock. Urahara's smile widened behind his fan.

"_You know the words, Uryu. Call my name!"_

'…_to become mine…'_

Without thought, the Quincy raised the sword, not registering how wrong it was, not when it felt so _right_.

'…_my Zanpakuto…'_

"Blacken the Heavens, Mugetsu…"

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A/N: I think the dynamics between Ishida and Ichigo are amusing, and this would be fun in particular. Quincy pride, lol. :) Feel free to trample all over this idea, folks. If you want to write it, please do so~!


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